Wang Sibo (Roywang), the first person in Chinese light painting art and the first Chinese advisor of the World Light Painting Alliance, is adept at creating light paintings in a Chinese style. In 2018, he completed the painting “Dragon Dance in Beijing” in just 7 minutes, where a golden dragon illuminated Wangfujing Street, breaking the world record.
He integrates traditional Chinese aesthetics into modern art, using light as ink and night as canvas, combining ancient cultural elements with contemporary art forms to create stunning works. He even brings mythical creatures from the “Classic of Mountains and Seas” to life on the streets, becoming well-known to the public.
01 Painting everything with light
Light painting, in simple terms, is the process of capturing the movement of light sources in a dark environment through long exposure, resulting in various abstract images. For example, if one wants to paint a dragon, they can use a light source to “draw” the dragon in front of the camera, and the camera will record the trajectory of the light source, creating a photo that shows a shining dragon.
For creators of light painting photography, it does not require highly advanced painting skills. With a basic foundation in sketching, one can produce impressive patterns. However, it is easier said than done. A perfect light painting artwork often requires multiple attempts, as well as long exposures and waiting times during the shooting process. It demands patience and perseverance to complete a piece.
In an interview, Wang Sibo stated, “The process of light painting is complex. It requires a strong sense of space and memory, as each stroke of the brush is fleeting and does not leave any trace. Therefore, one can only rely on their feelings and memories to paint in the air. It is quite challenging.”
Light painting art has always been seen as a pride of the Western art world, with few Eastern figures and cultural symbols present in this vast artistic field. Since Wang Sibo began his journey in light painting in 2012, he has continuously improved his skills. He not only incorporates the Eastern perspective and emotions into his light painting works but also ingeniously integrates Eastern philosophical thoughts and aesthetic concepts, injecting new vitality into light painting art.
In his works, elements such as landscapes, mythical creatures, and figures are displayed in a dazzling manner, as if an Eastern scroll is dancing in the light and shadow. Wang Sibo has a special fondness for Chinese dragons, considering them as symbols of power, dignity, and auspiciousness in Chinese culture. To perfectly present the form and charm of dragons, Wang Sibo and his team invested countless hours and efforts. After two years of dedication, they finally presented a surprising masterpiece.
On a night in 2018, in a square near Wangfujing Street, Wang Sibo and his team of 10 members wielded their “brushes” to create a light painting, attracting numerous onlookers. After 7 minutes, a light painting artwork titled “Dragon Dance in China” was born, covering an area of over 670 square meters, successfully setting the Guinness World Record for the “largest light painting pattern” at that time. The golden dragon in the picture was vivid and seemed to be truly tumbling among the clouds, perfectly embodying the majesty and mystery of Chinese dragons.
“I believe that this not only belongs to us in the Guinness World Records but also belongs to Beijing. Because at the time, this kind of creative act had never been seen before, and we incorporated strong elements of Chinese traditional culture. This is unprecedented in China and the world,” said Wang Sibo.
This artwork caused a huge sensation as soon as it was revealed. The audience marveled at Wang Sibo's interpretation of Chinese dragons and his superb light painting skills. The media also extensively covered this artwork, calling it a “masterpiece combining Eastern and Western art.”
However, this world record did not last for long. In 2021, after three years, Wang Sibo once again challenged the Guinness World Record. This time, he and his team took on the challenge of creating a giant light painting artwork titled “The Elegy of Light” with an area of 2021 square meters, breaking the world record for the largest light painting.
The artwork incorporated the qilin, a symbol of auspiciousness and peace in traditional Chinese culture, as the creative element. It also integrated modern elements such as high-speed trains, rockets, and cities, representing China's rapid development in technology and modernization. The fusion of ancient and contemporary elements showcased the charm of traditional culture and reflected the vitality of modern China.
In the recently passed year of 2023, Wang Sibo made his third attempt at the Guinness World Record, create “Awakening Lion,” a light painting artwork. The entire work was completed by 328 people simultaneously, taking 3 minutes and 16 seconds. This achievement set the world's first Guinness World Record for “the most people simultaneously creating a light painting.” In this way, Wang Sibo, with his Chinese-style light painting, has overcome obstacles and stood at the pinnacle of the world multiple times. While astonishing the world, he has also showcased the unique charm of Chinese culture.
02 Painting the Classics into the City
Several years ago, before Wang Sibo had any contact with light painting art, you would never have imagined that he was once a professional rugby player. During his college years, the tall and robust Wang Sibo was selected for the national rugby team due to his absolute talent advantage. He then represented the Chinese national rugby team in international competitions for four consecutive years.
At this time, Wang Sibo still had aspirations for his sports career. If everything went well, Chinese rugby might truly have a place for him. However, an unexpected event quietly occurred. In 2012, Wang Sibo was diagnosed with a severe spinal cord cervical disease, which required a major surgery. This meant that Wang Sibo could no longer play rugby, and he had to bid farewell to his former passion.
The days of recovery after the surgery were the darkest period in Wang Sibo's life, but fortunately, light painting accompanied him. By chance, Wang Sibo came into contact with the light painting works of the master Picasso, and after that, he found a new direction in life. “I did take a long time to recover. During that time, light painting brought me great hope, it brought me a new world.”
After the birth of “Dragon Dance China,” the light painting art world witnessed the mysterious power of Eastern culture, and Wang Sibo's fame in the industry also grew. He started thinking about how to incorporate more elements of Chinese cultural charm into his light painting works. In 2018, he began to experiment with using light painting to depict the divine beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and combining them with the night scenes of Chinese cities.
Through Wang Sibo's works, many foreigners have come to know for the first time about the magical divine beasts in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. This mythical world imagined by ancient Chinese is now being transmitted to the whole world through this emerging art form of light painting. Afterwards, Wang Sibo took his light-painted divine beasts to the streets of Chengdu, the land of abundance, and combined them with local traditional customs, creating a unique cyber world exclusive to Chengdu.
Entering the Sanxingdui Museum, one encounters a meeting of light and shadow with the Sanxingdui civilization from 2000 years ago. This is also the first collaboration of such caliber between light painting art and a museum, creating an absolute classic. In Wang Sibo's works, traditional culture and light painting art collide beautifully. He reinterprets traditional elements from Chinese culture through light painting techniques, giving them new life and meaning, allowing the audience to appreciate art while also experiencing the profound cultural heritage.
For Wang Sibo, light painting is not only an art form, but also a means of expressing his inner self and releasing his emotions. In the days to come, he will continue to use light as a tool to illuminate the path of traditional culture and convey its value and significance to the audience. “I will continue to adhere to my creative path, strive to promote and expand the series of Chinese light painting works, and hope that more people around the world will come to appreciate the beauty of China.”